1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an antibacterial agent containing coumarin analogues obtained from citrus cold press oil. This antibacterial agent exhibits excellent antibacterial ability against various bacteria, also exerts a mild influence on humans and environment and does not change flavor and taste even after it is compounded, showing that it can be used for many purposes.
2. Prior Art
Synthetic antiseptics have been developed and used in various fields. For example, synthetic antiseptics such as Trichlosane and Parabene are known in food and drink fields and cosmetic fields. These synthetic antiseptics have, to say in general, safety problems and are limited in the subjects to which these antiseptics are added and the amount to be added at present.
In the meantime, lysozyme, protamine, tea extracts, various spice extracts, various essential oils (components) and the like are known as antibacterial agents of a natural origin. However, these antibacterial agents not only are said to be by no means superior in antibacterial ability to the synthetic antiseptics but also involve such a problem that each affects the taste and flavor of the materials to which it is added.
Also, bacteria, for example, acid-thermophilic bacteria (genus Alicyclobacillus), which grow in favor of high temperature (40 to 70° C.) and acidic conditions (pH=2 to 6) are known. These bacteria cannot be perished in the usual bactericidal condition (86 to 96° C., 2 minutes) of soft drinks and proliferate while these drinks are stored, resulting in, for example, the occurrence of an unfavorable chemical odor, impaired taste and the occurrence of turbidity, indicating that these bacteria are a factor damaging a product value significantly. To avoid this problematic point, a method is proposed in which cane sugar fatty acid ester, which has been found to have an antibacterial effect, is added to low-acidity drinks such as coffee-flavored drinks. However, this ester has inferior dispersibility in an acidic range and is easily crystallized. From this reason, turbidity and precipitates are caused in the acidic drinks. Therefore, it is pointed out that this method has the disadvantage that the product value is impaired.
For this, there is a demand for an antibacterial agent which is of a natural origin, has superior antibacterial ability and has no influence on the taste and flavor of the product.